Research carried out by the Peter Heath Consultancy on behalf of WRAP examined retail sector views on the use of recycled fibre in hygiene products.
The hygiene products market has a value of over 2 billion in the UK, but the market share of recycled products is comparatively small. The WRAP study identified toilet paper, kitchen roll and facial tissues – accounting for 60% of the market – as the products with the most short-term potential for recycled fibre.
At the moment, there is little interest in the supply chain for recycled paper hygiene products according to the study. It said that the supply chain believes its role is to meet consumer demand, not to re-direct it. The report found that retail buyers expect manufacturers to stimulate consumer demand for recycled products by developing recycled products on a par with virgin paper in terms of performance, appearance and price. But the report found that manufacturers are “not pushing an increase in recycled usage at present”.
The major barriers that the report highlights are negative perceptions of the quality of recycled paper products in performance and appearance – and in terms of some sanitary products, safety.
However, some niche manufacturers, like recycled toilet paper manufacturer Nouvelle, have been showing that it can be done.
Simon Hawkes, marketing controller for Nouvelle, said: “We have identified that although there are few 'da;rk green' consumers, there is a very large number of 'light green' consumers – people who are prepared to make an environmental choice as long as there is no trade off in quality. So we have spent years improving the softness of our recycled tissue and now we are actively promoting Nouvelle as both very soft and recycled, too.”
Early Adopters
The report recommends that WRAP should target “early adopters” – manufacturers and retailers like Nouvelle, who are leading the way in developing the recycled product markets – for assistance. It also believes supermarket own brands – with a market share around 50% in many products in the UK – should also be targeted for action. It calls for WRAP to work with the non-domestic sector, with action on procurement in hotels, offices and leisure facilities, which have different buying criteria to the consumer.
However, the study believes that it will be “extremely difficult” for WRAP to get the attention of supply chain buyers because of a real lack of awareness. The report said: “WRAP is virtually unheard of among these respondents in the supply chain, except by one or two technical people and some senior management”.
If WRAP can raise the awareness levels in the supply chain, the report believes it could show buyers opportunities to exploit demand that they have not yet identified.
Commenting on the findings of the report, WRAP's director of materials Liz Goodwin said: “WRAP’s focus will now be to work with key specifiers and purchasers of tissue products as well as manufacturers, such as the makers of Nouvelle, to develop products and marketing propositions which will result in increased demand and usage of recycled paper in the tissue sector.”
A full copy of the WRAP research, entitled Retail Sector Views on Recycled Fibre Use in Hygiene Products, is available on the WRAP website.
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